Villanova University

Jan. 6, 2010

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Villanova University Varsity Club has selected the 2009 induction class to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in an announcement made today. The nine inductees for this year represent nine different sports. In addition, Rev. John Farrell, O.S.A., will be presented with the annual Jake Nevin Award. The Varsity Club will hold its 34th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on Friday, February 12 on campus at the Connelly Center. The inductees will also be honored the next day at halftime of the men's basketball game against Providence at the Wachovia Center. Tickets to the induction dinner on February 12 are available for sale and cost $50 for adults and $25 for kids. Tickets can be purchased online at Villanova.com by clicking on the link at the top of this release.

Below are capsules of each of the nine honorees.

Ann Beirne (`88) - Women's Soccer

First Villanova women's soccer player to earn NSCAA All-Region honors...Three-time first team All-Region selection in 1986, 1987 and 1988...Named a second team All-American in 1988 by the NSCAA...Career stats include 25 goals, 11 assists and 61 points...Credited with six game-winning goals...MVP of the 1987 ECAC Tournament...Villanova tallied a 42-22-10 (.635) during her four-year career.

George Bennett - Baseball

Villanova head baseball coach from 1986-2001...Tallied a career record of 463-324-6...Program's all-time winningest coach with 463 victories...Led Villanova to five Big East championships...Guided Villanova to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including one NCAA Regional final...Coached five Villanova players who went on to the major leagues...Had his jersey retired in 2003.

Rick Bontatibus ('94) - Men's Lacrosse

Owns the school record for career points with 213...Ranks second in school history in goals with 125...Ranks third in program history in assists with 88...His 215 ground balls ranks eighth in school history...School record holder for points in a game with 11...1994 North/South All-Star nominee...Garnered Honorable Mention All-American accolades from the USILA in 1994

Tom Colombo ('93) - Football

Captain of the 1992 Wildcat playoff team...Helped lead Villanova to back-to-back playoff appearances in 1991 and 1992...Named second team All-Yankee Conference in 1991...Ranks fourth all-time in school history in career passing yards with 5,825...Ranks fifth in school history in career total offense with 5,657 yards...Owns the eighth best single season total offense effort with 2,642 yards in 1991...Threw for 389 yards versus Delaware in 1991 which ranks as the 10th best single game passing effort in Villanova history.

Mary Dowling ('93) - Women's Swimming

Owns nine individual Big East titles (1,650 freestyle in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993; 500 freestyle in 1990, 1991 and 1993; 200 freestyle in 1991 and 1993)...Member of two Big East Conference championship relays (200 freestyle relay in 1991; 400 freestyle relay in 1991)...Named the 1993 Big East Conference Female Swimmer of the Year...Member of the 1992 and 1993 Big East championship teams...Inducted as a member of the Villanova Swimming & Diving Wall of Honor in 1999

Gerry O'Reilly ('87) - Men's Track & Field

Six-time Big East Champion (1987: indoor 3000m, outdoor 1,500m; 1986: indoor 1,500m, indoor 3,000m, indoor DMR, outdoor 5,000m)...Two-time IC4A outdoor champion (1986: 1,500m, 5,000m)...Two-time IC4A indoor champion (1987: 3,000m, DMR)...Ran on the school record setting DMR team that was timed in 9:21.02 on April 24, 1987...Owns the third fastest mile in school history with a time of 3:43.63;; Has the fourth best 3,000 meter time in Villanova history with a clocking of 7:51.65...Ranks as the fifth best 1,500 meter time in Villanova history with a time of 3:37.40...Participated in the 1988 Olympic Games...Credited with seven career sub-4:00 minute miles.

Mark Plansky ('88) - Men's Basketball

Captain of the 1988 Wildcat team that advanced to the Elite Eight...Was a freshman on the 1985 National Championship team...Played on three NCAA Tournament teams (1985, 1986 and 1988)... A 1,000 point scorer his 1,217 career points rank him 41st on the school's all-time scoring list...Ranks 26th on Villanova's all-time rebounding list with 636...His 112 steals rate 25th on the Wildcat all-time steal list...Named the 1988 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Joe Roy ('94) - Men's Soccer

Four-year starter from 1990-93...Three-time first team All-Big East honoree in 1991, 1992 and 1993...School record holder for goals in a career with 30...Owns the school record for points in a career with 85...Helped the 1991 and 1992 teams set a school record for goals in a season with 36...Led Villanova to 35 victories during his Wildcat career.

Carole Zajac ('94) - Women's Track & Field

Two-time NCAA outdoor champion (10,000 meters in 1993 & 1994)...Two-time NCAA individual cross country champion in 1992 and 1993...Big East individual cross country champion in 1992...Member of four NCAA team cross country championship squads from 1990-93...Owns the school record time in the outdoor 10,000 meters with a time of 32:22.96...Has the fastest time in school history in the 5,000 meter run with a clocking of 15:52.89...Inducted into the Villanova Wall of Fame in 1998...Six-time Big East champion (1994: outdoor 10,000m; 1993: indoor 5,000m, outdoor 5,000m, outdoor 10,000m; 1992: indoor 5,000m; 1991: outdoor 10,000m)...Two-time Honda Broderick for cross country (1992 & 1993)

Rev. John Farrell, O.S.A. - Jake Nevin Award Winner

This year's Jake Nevin Award is being presented to Rev. John Farrell, O.S.A., in recognition of his 30 years of work at Villanova. Father Farrell previously attended Villanova and graduated with his BA in Philosophy in 1955. He also completed an MA in Mathematics at Villanova in 1962. He was first assigned to Saint Thomas Monastery in 1980 and worked as Associate Director of Development for Villanova. In addition to his work for the development office, Father Farrell taught in the Economics Department and the Villanova School of Business. Following his retirement from the Office of Development in 1993, he continued to teach and assist the University in its development and fund raising efforts.

Father Farrell was ordained to the priesthood on June 6, 1959 at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, D.C.) by Bishop John McNamara. His first assignment was to Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he taught and was Dean of Students from 1959-64. From 1964 to 1967, Father Farrell was assigned to Augustinian College and began Doctoral Studies in Economics at the Catholic University of America, and was a teaching assistant there in the Economics Department. From 1967 to 1980, he was assigned to Biscayne College (Miami, Fla.), where he taught economics and was Director of Job Placement and Academic Advisement. He also completed his PhD. in Economics (1972) and was president of Biscayne College from 1975 to 1980.